Torsion spring assembly for automatic push rods



July 22, 1947. H. H. ENGEMANN TORSION SPRING ASSEMBLY FOR AUTOMATIC PUSH RODS Filed June 2, 1944 Patented July 22, 1947 TORSION SPRING ASSEMBLY FOR AUTOMATIC PUSH RODS Herbert H. Engemann, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application June 2, 1944, Serial No. 538,456

This invention relates to extensible and contractabl-e links especially adapted for the valve linkages of internal combustion engines and more specifically relates to torsion spring assemblies for automatic push rods which control movement of threaded-together push rod parts.

The invention will hereinafter be specifically described as embodied in a push rod mounted between the cam follower and rocker arm of a valve assembly for an internal combustion engine but the principles of this invention are generally applicable to torsion spring assemblies.

According to this invention an automatic push rod is provided with a threaded-together stud and nut assembly. The stud carries a torsion spring anchor in spaced longitudinal relation therefrom. The nut has a torsion spring anchor thereon. A torsion spring secured to these anchors acts on the stud and nut to reversely rotate the same for lengthening the push rod assembly. The torsion spring anchor carried by the stud has a stop shoulder thereon limiting the amount of unscrewing of the stud out of the nut to control the maximum elongation of the rod. The stud also carries a stOp pin coacting with a stop shoulder or abutment on the nut to limit the amount of threading of the stud into the nut for controlling the minimum lengh of the push rod.

A sleeve or inertia hammer is slidably carried by the push rod assembly and acts on a pin carried by the stud to rotate the stud against the action of the torsion spring for shortening the assembly.

A feature of the invention resides in the use of a removable pin which is selectively seated on the stud to coact with the stop member on'the nut.

Another feature of the invention deals with a stop device for a threaded-together assembly Which limits the threadin movement but is arranged to prevent any Wedging action, so that the threaded members can always be freely rotated. A further feature of the invention deals with the provision of anchor threads and slots which receive the end coils of a torsion spring and coact therewith to provide a wedge lock for the spring. An object of the invention is to provide an anchor for a coil spring which has one or more coils of the spring in threaded relation therewith together with an end tab of the spring looking the received coils against free sliding movement in the thread so that a wedge lock will be obtained when the spring is stresse l A further object of the invention is to provide a spring anchor including a helical groove for'.

8 Claims. (Cl. 123-90) receiving one or more coils of a spring and a receptacle for a free end of the spring to hold the received coils against free sliding action in the groove to maintain a wedge lock of the coils in the groove whenever the spring is subjected to torsion loads.

A still further object of the invention is to provide stops for torsion spring-impelled rotary members, which stops are arranged for eliminating wedging engagement between the parts to insure free rotation of the parts.

A still further object of the invention is to provide torsion spring anchors and locks tomatic push rods.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a stop pin assembly adapted to be selectively seated on a rotary member to coact with an adjacent member.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a. stop pin arrangement for threaded together parts wherein one part carriesa pin for coacting with a projecting lug on the other part, and wherein this pin is selectively seated so that it will clear the lug on the next to the last rotation, but will firmly strike the lug on the last rotation.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheet of drawings which, by way of preferred example only, illustrates one embodiment of the invention.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a broken fragmentary side elevational view, with parts in vertical cross section, of a valve linkage including an automatic push rod according to this invention.

Figure 2 is a broken fragmentary enlarged vertical cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, of a portion of the push rod of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view of the lower parts of the push rod of Figure 2 but illustrating the parts in another position.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a sub-assembly of the push rod. 7

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, with parts omitted, taken along the line V-V of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a horizontal.cross-sectional view, with parts omitted, taken along the line VI-VI of Figure 3.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figure 1 the reference numeral l0 designates generally a body of an internal combustion engine containing a cam shaft II with a cam for au- 3 l2 thereon. The body II] has a bore Illa therein in which is slidably mounted the side wall |3a of a cam follower IS. The cam follower is hollow and has a bottom wall l3b acted on by the cam I2 to be raised and lowered in the bore Illa.

A duct I4 in the body l communicates with an aperture IS in the side wall |3a of the cam follower to supply lubricant to the interior of the follower. A cup member I6 is disposed in the open top end of the cam follower and has a shoulder lfia seated on top of the cam follower.

The cup member l6 has a fragmental ball seat.

|6b therein. A bore I60 is provided in. the bot.- tom of the cup to join the ball seat portionithereiof with the interior of the cam follower for feeding lubricant to the seat.

A push rod according to this invention has a bottom stud l8 with a segmentalball end 18a seated on the ball seat IBb.

The stud l8 has an enlarged cylindrical portion |8b in spaced relation from the ball end |8a thereof and this cylindrical portion hasv rim top and bottom ends l9 slidably receiving thereover a sleeve 2|].v A plurality of longitudinal grooves 2| are provided at spaced. intervals around the enlarged portion l8b, four such grooves being shown in Figure 6.

The enlarged portion |8b 'hasa transverse bore 22 therethrough freely receiving an impact pin 23,which extends into slots 20a of the sleeve 20. The sleeve is thus suspended from the cylindrical portion |8b of the stud on the pin 23.

The stud l 8 has a cylindrical shank portion I80 extending from the enlarged portion I81) and, as shown in Figure 2, this portion is externally threaded into an elongated cylindrical nut 24 having a head 24a providing-a shoulder which bottoms a tube 25.

The stud I8 is hollow and is interiorlythreaded at theupper end-thereof for receivinga bushing 26 with a head 26a bottomed on the upper end of the shank I80. A coil spring 21' is disposed in the hollow shank portion |8c of the'stud and held under compression by'the bushing 26. The spring 21 acts on a plunger member 21 as is illustrated in Figure 4, which seats in a groove in the central portion of the pin 23 to hold the pin against endwise movement.

The bushing 26 carries a rod 28 which is Theupper end of the rod, asbest shown in Figures 2 and 4, carries in'fixed' This head' welded thereto.

relation thereon a head member 29. member 29 has several turns of a helical thread 29a therearound providing a helical groove 2%. The member 29 has an outturned collar 29c around the upper end thereof which is slotted at spaced intervals therearound as. at 29d.

As shown in Figure 4. the thread 29a can: also have gaps 29e at spaced intervals thereinpreferably aligned with the slots 29d.

The top end of the nut 24a has several turns of a thread 24a therearound defining a helical groove 24b. Longitudinal slots 240 are provided through the thread and continue into the cylindrical portion of the nut as shown in Figure 4.

A torsion spring 30 (Figures 1' and 2) has an end coil or two thereof seated in the helical groove 2412 provided by the thread 2611. on the nut 24 together with an outturned free end portion aua seated in a slot 240. The top end of the'torsion spring has several'end' coils thereof seated'inthe' groove 2% of the anchor member 29,.and has a' free end portion 30b. seated in a slot 29d.

The thread type'anchors receive one or more and coils of the torsion spring while'tne slots at right angles to the threads receive bent free end portions of the coil spring. The free end portions prevent the coils seated in the grooves provided by the threads from unscrewing out of the threads. When the spring is loaded, the torsional pull on the coils seated in the thread grooves tighten these coils on the anchors thereby adding a friction grip. The anchor arrangement thus develops its own friction grip and, since one or more complete end coils of the spring are included in the friction grips, the spring is not unduly stressed and will not break at the anchors.

As explained above, the enlarged portion 819 .of the stud I8 has four longitudinal slots 2| at equally spaced intervals therearound. The head 24a of the nut adjacent this enlarged portion |8b of the stud has an integral depending lug 32 thereon with an inclined bottom face 32a and a vertical front face 322).

A pin 33 is seated in one of the grooves 2| and this pin has a head 33a projecting above the top of the enlarged portion 13b and having an inclined top wall and a vertical front wall.

The pin 33.is placed in a slot 2| which permits the head 33a. to ride under the inclined face 32a of the lugv 32.0n one turn of the stud into the nut and then causes the vertical wall of this headto strike'the front face 32b of the lug on the next turn of the stud. In other words, a groove 2] is selected for the pin 33 to position the pin so that it will clear the lug 32 on next to the last revolution of the stud |8as it is screwed into the nut 24 and will fully strike the lug on the last revolution. This arrangement prevents ing of the stud in the nut, that is wedging between the lug 32 and the pin 33 when, for example, the sleeve 20 rapidly rotates the thread ed assembly so that the stud is screwed into the nut with considerable force. The vertical abutting faces of the pin head and the lug will, of course, eliminate any wedge lock as the lug 32 and pin 33 cooperate through the abutting vertical Wall of the head 33a and face 321) of the lug. The pin 33 has a press fit in the selected groove 2| or it can be otherwise secured in the selected groove.

The pin and lug limit the threading together of the stud and nut. The head'26a of the bushing 26 on the stud will strike against the end face of the'nut when the stud and nut are unthreaded thereby limiting the unthreading movement.

From the above descriptions it will be under stood that the push rods of this invention have threaded-together nut and stud assemblies with a torsion spring loaded to unthread the assembly for lengthening the push rod. An inertia hammer developed through the momentum of the sleeve 20 upon movement of the rod acts on an impact pin- 23 carried by the stud of the assembly through the curved slots 20a to thread the stud into the nut for shortening the push rod. The torsion spring has the ends thereof anchored: by arrangements which eliminate breakage of the spring sincethe spring coils form their own locks. Stop devices provided on opposed ends of the stud coact with opposed ends of the nut to limit the movement of the stud in the nut without permitting binding or Wedging action.

The impact hammer or sleeve 20' slides on the tube 25 of the push rod and also on the head 24a of the nut and the rim ends I9,- I 9 of the enlarged cylindrical portion |8b of the stud IS.

The push rod I! has a ball ended stud 35-projecting from the top end thereof as best shown in Figure l seated in a ball cup 36 carried in a rocker arm 31 for a poppet valve (not shown).

When the cam l2 raises the cam follower l3 the push rod l! is raised and acts as a rigid member to tilt the rocker arm 37 for opening the poppet valve. At about half open valve position the push rod is decelerated and continues to raise at decreasing speeds. This deceleration does not affect the hammer 2i! which is free to fly upward on the pin Thus during the firs part of the upstroke When the valve gains speed in an upward direction, the impact pin 23 remains in the top part of the slots 241a. At about the half way open position for maximum upward speed, the valve starts to lose speed in an upward direction and during this latter half of the upward movement the hammer or sleeve 2!] slides upwardly. During this negative acceleration, the valve spring force keeps the valve linkage in contact with the cam, but the inertia hammer is free to slide upwardly. On the down stroke the push rod is accelerated downwardly until about half closed valve position and the hammer then flies downwardly to deliver a rotative blow to the pin due to the curvature at the upper ends of the slots 20a. This rotative blow threads the stud l8 into the nut 24 to wind up torsion spring 3E and shorten the rod. After the valve is fully seated the torsion spring reversely rotates the stud and nut for lengthening the push'rod to take up any undesired clearances which may have developed in the linkage.

The push rods thus automatically lengthen and shorten during operation to maintain a predetermined clearance in the valve linkage.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a Wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a linkage assembly, an automatically extensible and contraotable link including threaded-together male and female parts, a torsion spring to reversely rotate the parts for lengthening the link, and an inertia hammer for rotating the male part to shorten the link, the improvements of threads in said link defining helical grooves receiving the ends of the torsion spring to anchor the spring, and opposed abutment means on the male member adapted to thrust against the opposed ends of the female member for limiting the relative movements of the male and female members.

2.. In a valve linkage including a link having threaded-together male and female parts and a torsion spring for reversely rotating said parts to lengthen the link, the improvements of opposed threads carried by the male and female members in spaced axial relation, a helically coiled torsion spring having end coils respectively lying in the helical grooves between said opposed threads, said end coils being movable in said grooves in the unstressed condition of said torsion spring, means holding the ends of said spring against rotational movement, whereby torsional stressing of said spring tightens said end coils in gripping relation in said helical grooves, said female member having a depending abutment on an end face thereof, said male member having a head portion adapted to clear the abutment on one revolution 6 and strike a side face of the abutment on the next revolution into the female member.

3. An automatically adjustable push rod comprising a nut, :a hollow stud threaded in said nut, a bushing threaded in said stud, a rod carried by said bushing extending from the stud and nut into spaced relation from the ends thereof, a spring anchor secured on said rod, a spring anchor on said nut, a torsion spring having the ends thereof secured to said spring anchors, and means providing an abutment shoulder on said bushing for thrusting against the nut to limit the extent of relative longitudinal movement of the nut and stud.

4. A push rod assembly including threadedtogether male and female parts, a, depending lug on the female part, a plurality of longitudinal grooves on themale part adjacent said lug, a pin selectively seated in one of said grooves having a head adapted to clear the lug on one revolution of the stud into the nut and strike a side face of the lug on the next revolution to limit relative movement of the male and female parts without wedging.

5. An extensible link comprising a nut having internal and external threads, a stud threaded through said nut on said internal threads, an externally threaded member carried by said stud in longitudinally spaced relation from the nut, a torsion spring having coils on the ends thereof threaded on said external threads and free end portions projecting at an angle to the coils, and receptacles for said free end portions on said nut and said threaded member carried by the stud holding the coils from unscrewing out of the threads whereby torsion loads on the spring will tighten the coils in the threads and will urge the stud and nut in opposite rotative directions to lengthen the link.

6. An extensible and contractable link comprising threaded-together male and female members, said female member having opposed end faces, 3, lug extending from one end face, said male member extending beyond the end faces of the female member, heads on both extending portions of the male member, the head adjacent the lug having a plurality of peripheral longitudinal grooves, a headed pin seated in that groove which will permit the head to just clear the lug on one revolution of the male member but will position the head to strike a side face of the lug on the next revolution and thereby limit the threading of the male member into the female member to shorten the link while said other head limits the threading of the male member out of the female member to lengthen the link.

7. A push rod comprising a nut, a stud threaded therethrough, a torsion spring acting on the stud and nut to lengthen the push rod, an inertia hammer acting on the stud to thread it into the nut and shorten the push rod, an abutment member on said nut having a generally radial striking face, a plurality of longitudinal grooves spaced around the periphery of said stud adjacent said abutment member, a pin selectively seated in one of said grooves having a head adapted to clear said abutment member on one revolution of the stud into the nut and strike said striking face of said abutment member on the next revolution to limit relative movement of said stud and nut in the direction to shorten said push rod Without wedging action, whereby the frictional resistance to the action of said torsion spring is substantially decreased.

8 8. A. push rod assembly including threadedtogether male and;female parts, a depending lug UNITED STATES PATENTS on the female part having a generally radial side Number Name Date face; a plurality of longitudinal grooves spaced 2176 895 Engemann Oct 14 1939 around the peripheryof the male'pant-adjacent 5 2 050766 Russell Aug 1936 said lug, a pin selectively seated in one of said 1443940 Andersogn b 1923 grooves having a head adapted to clear the lug 1607128 Johansen 1926 on one revolution of the male part into the female 1817620 Hamilton g 1931 part and strike said side face of the lug on the 2118450 Zahodiakin 1938 next revolution to limit relative movement of the 2131507 Goodwin Sept 1938 male and female parts Withmt Wedgmg- 119301261 Berry Oct. 10, 1933 HERBERT ENGEMANN- 1,485,036 Kingsley Feb. 26, 1924 298,016 Moore May 6, 1884 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 15 file of this patent: 

